The “Guild” of Ancient Coin Collectors makes an Announcement or two

The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild claims it represents collectors and numismatists everywhere specializing in ancient coins. On the Moneta-L forum in response to a post on this blog, its Executive Director coin dealer Wayne Sayles has just made two statements “for anyone […] who has any doubt about the position of ACCG”. The first is:

The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild has, from its inception, denounced archaeological site looting and continues to do so.

Hmm. That is not really quite the same as:

The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild has, from its inception, denounced those who obtain artefacts by the illegal and undocumented exploitation of archaeological sites and assemblages of any type anywhere in the world and trade
in them across national and economic borders in defiance of provisions made by various countries for the protection of the archaeological heritage. The ACCG has unequivocally condemned the trade in and collecting of such material, and
continues to do so, and urges its members to ensure they do nothing to encourage these practices, and to report anyone they suspect of offering them material from such illicit sources to the appropriate authorities in order that they may investigate .

That’s funny, that is not quite what Wayne Sayles said. Still, I am sure its what he really meant to say, and I am sure they'll be updating their recently somewhat neglected website accordingly. I'm not holding my breath though. Sarcasm aside, I'll go further. From observing them closely, I think we may confidently predict that the ACCG will not now or in the near future actually do anything that will threaten in any way the movement of the current large numbers of totally undocumented and probably largely illicitly obtained archaeological artefacts (coins) from southeastern Europe or the Middle East into the US antiquities market. Let them (please) prove me wrong, by effective action, not just "words".

The other statement that he made was far more global but related to the above.

The ACCG would be pleased to discuss the issue of cultural property protection with legitimate representatives of the archaeological community, but to date have not received any response to our overtures in that direction. Meanwhile, the guild will continue its aggressive advocacy of ancient coin collecting as a private pursuit.

There are two issues here. First, despite the collectors’ myth to the contrary, I do not think anyone much is actually seriously suggesting that all “ancient coin collecting as a private pursuit” should be stopped. This is a common and totally unfounded myth constantly and unthinkingly repeated as a mantra in collecting circles. What many of us would like to see curbed is the current model of ancient coin trading and collecting where a lack of truly ethical principles and awareness is leading to the market for ancient coins soaking up unknown (but probably very large) quantities of undocumented and illicitly dug material coming from the deliberate damage caused by artefact hunters to archaeological sites the length and breadth of the (old) classical world. But that’s a by the by.

It is totally unclear to me what the ACCG has in mind when it says they want “to discuss the issue of cultural property protection” in the source countries “with legitimate representatives of the archaeological community”. Let us leave aside the question of who are "illegitimate" representatives, and who provides the "legitmation" and of what kind.

This series of posts on my blog was prompted by reflections on Elkins’ paper on the US trade in ancient coins and its clear relationship to archaeological artefacts being looted in Bulgaria (mentioned earlier a number of times in this blog too). A load of looted Bulgarian coins was intercepted in Verona airport in 2005 and they were in the news recently as they’ve just gone back to the source country (a bit late now they've been dug up and the sites trashed, but its the principle that counts, they can be used in handling collections for schools). Anyhow, with whom here would Sayles want to discuss how to stop this looting in Bulgaria (and at whose cost)? The Italians (and then the archaeologists or the customs officers)? The Bulgarians – and them who, the archaeologists in the Academy of Sciences, or the officials in the Ministry of Culture? So, in the case of the same sort of stuff looted in Bulgaria appears sold by a Wisconsin dealer on eBay, with whom are the ACCG “making overtures” to discuss protecting cultural property from looting? What does it intend suggesting as a solution?

Secondly, given the ACCG record of “aggression” in its advocacy (Mr Sayles, for example here , here, and here among others being a prime culprit), what “legitimate representatives of the archaeological community” of any country actually are going to be keen to treat these self-appointed representatives of the ancient coin collecting milieu at all seriously? I'm glad its not my "corner" these guys are arguing. The tactic of "if we abuse or try to discredit our critics enough they'll give up and go away" that they seem to have adopted is not really an effective way of putting forward a case or demonstrating the ability for US (at least) collectors of ancient coins to be partners for constructive discussion about issues connected with the destruction of archaeological evidence by looting.